Secrets In Her Smile

This is the first installment to The Secrets Within series.
This story is a remake of the story Secrets and Scares.

Summary: Rukia wasn't the only one who was taken to the Soul
Society that night she was found. A student at Karakura High, and
also a friend of Ichigo's, named Kana was unwillingly taken. Ichigo
and his friends now must save Rukia from execution and discover
the secret Kana hides within.

Warnings: Violence

Disclaimer: I, xX-Star Sapphire-Xx, do not own anything relating to
BLEACH. This means anything relating to the anime, the manga,
characters, plot, etc. Tite Kubo owns all rights to BLEACH. I only
own my original character that I have implanted into Kubo's
piece of work.

Chapter Twelve: Unravel
"The truth only reveals itself
when one gives up all preconceived ideas."
-Shoseki

This guy is a nut.

Ichigo stared at his defeated opponent and wondered why someone
would rather die than survive a lost battle. This Ikkaku wasn't even
grateful Ichigo saved the soul reaper's life using the guy's special
ointment, and Ikkaku had the nerve to complain about it! He would be
dead if Ichigo hadn't done anything. Anyone else would be thankful.

"Dammit, Ichigo. If I could get up, I would beat you to a bloody pulp."
And Ikkaku continued his stupid blabbering.

"What an idiot," Ichigo stated, starting to regret follwing his heart.
"Obviously I shouldn't have even bothered saving your life in the first
place. Ichigo stood up from his spot in the rubble he created in battle
and took a few steps toward the soul reaper who laid on the ground
helpless. "But whether you appreciate it or not doesn't really matter to
me. I just need some answers from you."

Ikkaku huffed and looked away. "I should have known there was
something more to this. I am unlucky."

Ichigo took a few steps more.

"So what is it you want from me? You wanna know my birthday?" Ikkaku
asked sarcastically.

"I want Rukia Kuchiki. Where is she?"

Ikkaku looked surprised. Good. Ichigo got his attention.

"Rukia?"

"Right."

"Yes. I know about that capital offender. What do you want with someone
like that?"

"We're here to save her," Ichigo replied with determination. Rukia had
saved him on more than one occasion. It was the least he could do for
everything she had done for him.

"What the-? Do you mean a rescue?" Ikkaku was beyond suprirsed now.
Ichigo wondered why it was so hard to believe. "How many of you are
there here? I mean for something like that, there must me at least nine
or ten of you, right?"

"No. Five humans and one animal."

"Five humans and one animal... And you seriously intend to rescue here
with so few?"

Ichigo smirked. "That's right."

The teenager knew the odds, but he was confident. Orihime's powers
were so unique. He hasn't seen what else she could do, but he was sure
she could handle her own as long as she wasn't by herself. Uryū was
tactical. With his Quincy powers, he was stealthy, but he was also
intelligent. He seemed to always know the best way to get out of any
situation. Finally there was Chad. That guy would fight and not give up
until he knew his friends are safe. He and Ichigo were alike that way.

Those were the reasons Ichigo knew that the mission will succeed.

But Ikkaku's laughter made Ichigo wonder why he saved the guy to
begin with. Tears were even streaming down the bald man's face.
Ichigo's odds were not that unfavorable.

"You'll never pull off a suicide mission like that, you idiot!" Ikkaku
continued to laugh. "What? Are you Ryoka stupid or something? Ahh!"

Ichigo couldn't help but feel a tinge of please when the soul reaper
opened his wounds from his own laughter.

And I'm the idiot? Ichigo huffed.

"Alright. Listen," the bald one stated after he calmed down. He began
telling Ichigo exactly where Rukia was being kept. A tall white tower
west of the 13 Court Guard Squads. Ichigo almost didn't believe that the
defeated soul reaper would tell him anything. Trusting his gut, the
teenager believed the third seat soul reaper. Ichigo's instincts were
usually correct about judgments on others, except for one person.

"I have one more question," Ichigo said, remembering his second
purpose of being in the Soul Society. "Do you know where I can find
Kana Mitsuya?"

Ikkaku looked confused. "Kana Mitsuya? I don't know who you're talking
about. Is she an offender as well?"

"No, she's not. She's a friend of mine." Ichigo was disappointed, but at
least he was able to find some information on Rukia. Even with the
destination, Ichigo had no idea how to get there. He still had to find
Ganju, if the guy didn't get himself killed first.

"Kana Mitsuya?" Ikkaku repeated, like he heard the name before. "Are
you sure her family name is Mitsuya? I know of a Kana, but not by that
name."

Ichigo had forgotten. Kana gave everyone a fake name when she lived
in Karakura Town. "Aizen. Her family name is Aizen."

"Oh, that brat." The orange-haired teen stared at the bald guy in disbelief.
Why did Ikkaku sound like he didn't favor Kana? "That annoying kid was
always hanging around. I haven't seen her in a while though. Didn't she
run off or something?"

"That's what I've been told. She was forced here with Rukia," Ichigo told
his opponent. Ichigo could still see Rukia's saddened face and Kana's
panicked tears as they walked away from him that night. It was hard to
believe that was at least a week ago. "And I'm here to bring them both
back."

Ichigo knew that his mission didn't affect Ikkaku in any direct way.
Ikkaku didn't care what happened. It was obvious didn't care of the well
being of Rukia or Kana, but that was Ichigo's blessing in disguise. It
gave him the information he needed.

"Thank you, Ikkaku." With his questions answered, Ichigo turned away
from his fallen opponent and began walking away.

All his questions were not answered though. Who was Kana? What was
her story?

Ichigo wished he knew.

.: - :.

"Hurry up, will ya?" Renji told Kana. He was leaning up against a wall in
the barracks with his arms crossed.

Kana sat on her knees next to him with a bowl of rice in one hand and
a pair of chosticks in the other. She wasn't exactly in the mood to eat
anymore after all that just occurred, but Renji found food for her after
hearing her stomach disagree with her.

"I'm not hungry," she said, picking at the rice.

"Eat It anyway."

Kana sighed and watched a few soul reapers run passed. How was she
suppose to eat in such conditions? Kana put a few grains of rice in her
mouth. And how was she suppose to eat just rice? She was still so use to
Tessai's cooking. She felt spoiled that one of the reasons she didn't want
to eat was because she didn't like what was being served to her.

The girl rested the bowl on her thighs, her eyes not leaving the rice.

"How did you find me?" The question burned in her mind since the
moment she saw him. She couldn't help thinking how similar her real life
experience was to her nightmare, except a hero emerged instead of
the enemy. She still wondered that if Renji could find her, so could the
enemy.

"You weren't exactly quiet."

Kana looked at the ground, disappointed in herself. She was loud? Why
didn't she think that part through? She hid her spiritual pressure, but she
couldn't keep herself quiet enough to stay hidden. She was thankful
that Renji was the one that found her.

"Do you know why they're here?" Kana asked Renji, looking up at him.
"The Ryoka, I mean."

She noticed Renji's body tensing at the word. Did he know? Did her
uncle tell Renji that the Ryoka were after her for reasons that were still
unknown to her? It would make sense. The way Renji was reacting, Kana
felt like he knew the truth. This was the most Kana had seen Renji in
years. He must be protecting her.

"They're trying to be heroes," he stated, sounding angrier with each
passing syllable. "But it's his fault we're in this situation to begin with."

This time, Kana tensed up. She hadn't heard him so angry since she was
a child; since her mother's passing.

"If awakened, you could hold the power to destroy the Soul Society."

Did Renji mean that the Ryoka were trying to kidnap her to save the
Soul Society? That they felt like they didn't have any evil intentions? Like
they felt like they were doing the right thing? And what did Renji mean
by "his fault"? Who was he talking about?

"Are you almost done eating yet? I have to take you back to
Captain Aizen."

"But I'm not hungry."

"When was the last time you ate?"

Kana couldn't answer. She ate oatmeal that morning, but she picked
at that as well. The blonde sighed, picked up a few grains of rice, and
stuck them in her mouth. She repeated that a few more times.

The girl heard her friend sigh. "Kana, stop picking at your food and
actually eat it."

Kana smiled lightly. "You're starting to sound like my mom, Renji."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kana regretted saying anything at
all. Renji stood up straight, no longer leaning against the wall, and
faced away from her.

"Let's go if you're not hungry. Captain Aizen must be worried about you."

The blonde teenager wished she was more hungry then. She didn't
want Renji to leave upset with her. How could she forget that her
mother was still a sensitive subject for him? Yes, Kana hadn't seen him in
a few years, but Renji and Kana's mother were good friends. Anytime
Kana mentioned her mother, Renji would get angry instantly and then
would try avoiding her. She tried asking hiim about it before, but he
never gave her a straight answer. She figured it was because he hasn't
moved on from her mother's death yet.

"Renji, I'm sorry." Kana didn't know what she was apologizing for exactly,
but if it made Renji feel better, she would apologize day and night.
Besides, she knew Renji was already upset about Rukia's execution.
Kana added more oil to the flame by just saying the word "mom."

Just as she looked back over at Renji, Kana saw a black butterfly
approaching her friend.

A hell butterfly? she thought as she watched Renji look at the insect. I
wonder what it's saying...

"Change of plans. Come with me." Renji spoke without looking at Kana.
He spoke with such authority that the young teenager knew he
switched over to "Lieutenant Mode." The only other time Kana saw this
was the night she was taken from the World of the Living. She didn't
think anything of it before, but now that she was, Kana admired Renji.
Before, Kana couldn't see him as anything but a fighting addict as a
soul reaper. Now she could see why he was chosen as the new
lieutenant for Squad 6. Renji was definitely a leader and was respected
as such.

Kana set the bowl and chopsticks down on the floor and stood up. She
followed him down the corridor of the barracks. Kana didn't know
where they were going, and she wanted to ask. The air felt so tense she
didn't want to speak up though.

Renji then stopped in front of another corridor entrance. He turned
around and looked at Kana sternly. Kana squirmed under his stare. She
admired him, but she still wasn't quite use to this side of him yet.

"I have to go to a meeting down the hall. You stay here until it's over.
After that, I'll take you to Captain Aizen."

Kana nodded her head.

"I'm serious, Kana. I don't have time to hunt for you again. Not with
Ryoka on the loose in the Seireitei."

"I know! I understand." Kana didn't want to get taken again, and since
she's in the barracks, she felt safer knowing captains and lieutenants
were all over the place.

"Good." Renji then disappeared down the hall.

Kana was alone again. She really hated being alone...

"Oh, Kana! What a surprise to see you here." The voice was
recognizable. Kana's body tensed as she looked over and made eye
contact with a man she feared most in the 13 Court Guard Squads.

"Gin I-Ichimaru..."

Kana couldn't wish harder to be alone right now.